Much confusion about client customization

[nrnrnr]

I just spent a frustrating hour or two trying to get my customized client in a position to install. I got very confused regarding packages vs plt files and packages vs collections Part of my confusion arises because I am a raw novice at Racket, but I think part of the confusion could be dispelled by making some simple changes to the documentation.

• To clarify the distinction between a package and a collection, could you please use <package-name> and <collection-name> instead of just <name>?

• Can you please explain what may happen when a novice tests his or her newly customized .plt file or package? I got quite a few instances of something conflicting with something already installed. It looks as if in order to build an installable package or plt file, I first have to install something. Then when I try to test the thing I've just created, it conflicts with whatever is currently installed.

  A new section called How to test the package or plt file you have created would go a long way toward relieving the frustration.

• One failure mode I encountered was an error message complaining that something is not a top-level collection. I had no luck diagnosing it. See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18805664/how-to-create-a-top-level-collection-for-a-racket-package. I'm not sure if a remedy to the Racket documentation would be appropriate or what.

[elibarzilay]

Quick comment: we'll probably move eventually to using GH for bug reports, but we're currently still using the centralized system -- either via DrRacket (in the help menu) or through bugs.racket-lang.org. It's therefore probably better if you re-file it there.

[nrnrnr]

Quick comment: we'll probably move eventually to using GH for bug reports,
but we're currently still using the centralized system -- either via
DrRacket (in the help menu) or through bugs.racket-lang.org. It's
therefore probably better if you re-file it there.

OK, thanks. I wasn't quite sure whether the handin server was part of
the whole ecosystem or should be dealt with separately.

I suggest you use the github settings menu to disable the github issue
tracker.

Norman

[elibarzilay]

I'll leave it to @mflatt to decide whether to disable it or not... (He is watching the main repo on GH, so maybe he prefers to leave it on.)

(BTW, using email to reply to GH notification works, kind of, but it's pretty bad when you quote previous text.)

[mflatt]

I'm happy to have issue tracking here (although it will take me a while to get to some issues).